Forever Indebted To Women: The Power Behind The Throne

Abstract

And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man This quotation is taken from Cap. 2 Verse 22 of the book of Genesis, in the Bible, the holy book of the Christian religion. It explains the creation of mankind and the evolution of woman from the body of man. It has also been postulated by men of olden times and even some in modern society that this justifies the secondary role women must play to men From time immemorial women have been regarded by some as being inferior to men. In earlier times they were looked upon as chattels and items of property to be bartered or exchanged. This is still the norm today in some societies where they have no rights, only duties - duties to their husbands, fathers, brothers and male superiors, duties to be obethent, disciplined, respectful and compliant. They are expected to cater without question to all of the whims and needs of their menfolk, reasonable or unreasonable, and in some societies they are still the hewers of wood and drawers of water, performing all menial and arduous tasks in addition to household chores, e.g. working in the fields tilling the soil in the heat of the day with their babies often strapped to their backs. The irony of this situation is that several women accept their positions as being inevitable and pre-ordained. They dedicate their lives to making the lives of men comfortable, never regarding their work as chores or unpleasant or degrading tasks. They are content to care for their children and cater to the needs of their families despite long hours of work under primitive conditions. In some societies of the world women are subjected not only to the dominance of their husbands, but also of the entire family. A wife married into the household of her husband falls under the discipline and control of the matriarch of the family, and is expected to obey every order and perform every task without question. Invariably these wives are child brides whose future is decided and husband chosen while they were still of tender years. If the price or dowry does not live up to expectations the hapless bride very often is chastised or sacrificed, the explanation frequently offered being that she committed suicide. Of course, one has to view the position of women in the context of the times and the societies in which they live. In biblical times and in centuries thereafter women needed the protection of their menfolk. They were not educated and trained to cope in a world which was male-dominated. Men went to war, men hunted, men provided the food for their families and made all decisions concerning the welfare of the family and the community. Women were not required to make any important decisions or even to think independently or differ from rules laid down by the head of the household who was always male; to even think of defying him was tantamount to sacrilege. In spite of what to us today would seem to be a situation of tyranny and which in large measure still exists in some societies, women were content and relatively happy; many even today will tell you that they would not change this for anything. They have been conditioned to think in this way; their mothers and grandmothers before them accepted this way of life and were contented. They regard the new generation of so- called liberated women as upstarts and rebels who wish to usurp the role of men. The important question to be decided is - should we try to change these women and redirect their thinking and way of life? Should we try to import new values into their lives or impose on them what we think they ought to have? Who are we to judge? It is axiomatic that in the world in which we live nothing stands still. Change is inevitable and very often enures to our advantage if we are to progress and develop. The role of the majority of women worldwide has certainly changed dramatically over the years invariably for the better due in large measure to an increased awareness of and sensitivity to the rights of women. …